It is currently known in the art to provide a substantially rigid compartment or shell as a luggage device to protect contents to be stored or carried. There exists a long felt need, however, to provide a luggage unit that offers the convenience of a lightweight and collapsible soft luggage bag while still providing optional protection for smaller items such as glasses, ski goggles, electronic devices, and the like. For example, when soft shell luggage is desired for travel and transportation where the luggage may be subjected to impact or compression, a relatively small portion of the luggage that provides protection from impact and/or compression forces is desirable. Furthermore, as rigid compartments are known to typically occupy usable space or increase the size of a luggage device, there further exists a need to provide a substantially rigid portion that provides impact and crush protection and that is also selectively removable. Where selectively removable devices are utilized, it is thus desirable to provide a device and system that allows for removal and reinsertion of a rigid device in such a way that it is secure. For example, it may be desirable to provide a device that may be quickly removed from the luggage without the use of tools or additional parts, yet is still securely attached so as to reduce, minimize, or eliminate the risks of a rigid compartment becoming unintentionally dislodged. Additionally, protection from impact and compression from objects co-housed within the luggage is often desirable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,040 to Jones discloses a rigid insert provided in a soft luggage shell that is removably held in place by a twistable retainer ring and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. However, Jones fails to teach a device wherein the rigid insert occupies only a portion of the soft luggage shell that isolates certain items in a rigid surrounding and thereby protects the items from impact from other items in the luggage as well as impact and compression from outside forces. Accordingly, Jones fails to teach novel aspects of the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,197,580 to Berman et al., which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a collapsible article of luggage in which a plurality of reinforcing panels or inserts allow the luggage to assume either a rigid or collapsible form. Berman et al. fail to teach a rigid pocket or compartment that is capable of storing objects in relative isolation from other luggage contents and that can be selectively removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,446,688 to Sutton, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a carry bag with a pouch insert and magnetic fasteners so that purse or bag contents may be easily transferred to another bag. Sutton does not teach an insert or compartment suitable for protecting contents from forces that may be applied by additional bag or luggage contents or from the outside environment. Accordingly, Sutton fails to teach novel aspects of the present invention.
Known devices also fail to adequately provide a device wherein a rigid device is adapted for insertion and removal to and from various luggage devices, wherein the device is securely affixed or placed within the luggage device and without the need to utilize tools, etc. For example, placing a known hard-shell case such as a glasses case within a bag results in a situation whereby the case is free to move around an inner volume of the bag and poses a risk of loss as the case is in an unsecured state.
Therefore, there has been a long-felt and unmet need to provide a soft luggage unit that further includes a rigid removable compartment capable of storing, protecting, and isolating luggage contents.